Are all hospices the same?
No. "Hospice" is a medical specialty like pediatrics, geriatrics, oncology, etc. Each hospice is a different organization. All hospices have the same general philosophy but their services may differ.

Can pain and symptoms be controlled at home?
Yes. Pain and other symptoms can usually be controlled in the patient's home. If a symptom (i.e. pain, nausea or vomiting, or difficulty breathing) becomes a problem, the hospice nurse can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There have been great advances in pain and symptom control in the past few years. Most symptoms can be controlled without the use of injections or IV medication. The hospice nurse will assess your pain and symptom control at each visit.

Does Hospice provide 24 hour in home care?
No. Hospice provides intermittent nursing visits to assess, monitor and treat symptoms, as well as teach family and caregivers the skills they need to care for the patient. Team members are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer questions or visit anytime the need for support arises.

Where is hospice care provided?
Hospice care is provided in a setting that best meets the needs of each patient and family. The most common setting is the patient's home or the home of a relative. Hospice care is also provided in assisted living homes, nursing homes and hospitals according to patient care needs.

Can a hospice patient choose to return to curative treatment?
Yes. Receiving hospice care is always a choice. A patient may leave hospice and return to curative treatment if that is their choice. If the patient later chooses to return to hospice care, Medicare, Medicaid, and most insurance companies permit re-activation of the hospice benefit.

Can I go back to the hospital and still receive hospice care?
Yes. However, many symptoms that would normally require hospitalization or an emergency room visit can be successfully managed at home by the hospice team, thus preventing the stress of hospitalization. Hospice patients generally only have the need for short hospital stays to stabilize a symptom and then are able to return home.

Is the decision for hospice care giving up hope or waiting to die?
No. Hospice is about living. Hospice strives to bring quality of life and comfort to a patient and their family. Our successes are in helping a patient and family live fully until the end. Often patients will feel better with good pain and symptom management. Hospice is an experience of care and support, different from any other type of care.

Does hospice do anything to bring death sooner?
No. Our goal is always to alleviate suffering and manage symptoms. Hospice does nothing to speed up or slow down the dying process. Our role is to lend support and allow the disease process to unfold as comfortably as possible.